China warns citizens to leave Tajikistan-Afghanistan border amid security risks

Chinese diplomatic authorities have advised citizens and companies to leave areas along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border following a string of cross-border security incidents that have resulted in deaths and injuries, the China News Service reported.

The Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan has repeatedly called on Chinese nationals and businesses in the border area to strengthen security measures and orderly evacuate the area Jan. 30 notice noted one incident where five Afghan militants crossed into Tajikistan’s Khatlon region where three were killed by Tajik border forces.

The latest advisory said the warning covered areas from the Shamsiddin Shohin district toward Khorog.

The border area has been subject to increased security checks since attacks in late 2025 that killed Chinese nationals. Five Chinese nationals were killed in two separate cross-border attacks in November, prompting Beijing to advise Chinese companies and workers to leave the area.

Chinese authorities said the security situation along the border remains complex and further attacks against Chinese companies and Chinese citizens cannot be ruled out.

The incidents have stirred worries for Chinese workers on infrastructure and other projects near the strategically sensitive frontier. Beijing has advised its citizens not to travel to border areas and to contact Chinese diplomatic missions in case of an emergency.

Tajikistan has a roughly 1,350-kilometre border with Afghanistan, much of it mountainous terrain that is difficult to patrol.